Nursery Planning Advice

I have just joined a teaching agency and have today been offered my first supply assignment of three days teaching in a nursery class next week. Whilst I am really looking forward to this, I am also worried about what to do if there is little or no planning available. I have taught in Years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, and I have worked in a children's centre and a private nursery where planning involved one or two adult led activities repeated over the week with different groups so that they all experienced the same adult in-put, along with child led play, however I have never actually taught in a nursery class, so I was wondering if the planning would be along the same lines?

I would be very grateful to anyone who can offer me some enlightenment with this and maybe offer some advice as to how planning is conducted in your nursery classrooms.

I have just joined a teaching agency and have today been offered my first supply assignment of three days teaching in a nursery class next week. Whilst I am really looking forward to this, I am also worried about what to do if there is little or no planning available. I have taught in Years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, and I have worked in a children's centre and a private nursery where planning involved one or two adult led activities repeated over the week with different groups so that they all experienced the same adult in-put, along with child led play, however I have never actually taught in a nursery class, so I was wondering if the planning would be along the same lines?

I would be very grateful to anyone who can offer me some enlightenment with this and maybe offer some advice as to how planning is conducted in your nursery classrooms.

Every setting is different, and their planning might not make sense at first, but I would spend the first day getting to know the setting and the children while supporting their play in the provision areas of the classroom. I would say the most important thing to do before you try to run a focus activity, is get a good grip on the routines and characters. It's vital to keep things as normal as possible for the children, and to keep to the routines they have got used to. You could easily add in a story, a circle game (for those that are ready to join in) or some singing, but don't expect too much direct 'teaching,' your role should be more 'enhancing' the play. You could have some very young 3 year olds and some very advanced 4 year olds in the same group, so be flexible! Good luck.

I would echo what Bumblebee has said and add that you may find yourself being a keyworker for a small group of children within the class structure (about 10-13 children), with whom you might have snack and registration time in your own space within the classroom. It's common in nurseries for the nursery nurse/s to share many roles and responsibilities with the teacher, and in many nurseries it is difficult to tell teacher and nursery nurse apart on a cursory glance. As a supply teacher use your NN's expertise - they know the children and the routines and probably have a good grasp of the planning. Let the NN guide you, especially on the first day.